Use Of Marijuana At Record High Among Youth At San Diego Juvenile Hall

A study was conducted to determine drug usage among the youth booked into Juvenile Hall in San Diego. The study revealed marijuana use is at a record high among the youth coming through, with more than half of them testing positive for the drug through urinalysis; fifty-three percent to be exact. The last study, in 2000, found forty-two percent of those who were booked into Juvenile Hall tested positive for pot, an eleven percent difference. The youth were questioned along with being drug tested and were asked a series of questions to determine their level of experience with substances. According to the study, ninety-percent responded that they had tried marijuana before with an average age of 12 as the earliest they had come in contact with it. Eighty-eight percent said it was easy to come by the drug, with only sixteen-percent admitting pot was bad for them; compared to 34 percent for alcohol and 58 percent for tobacco. Not only had these kids experienced the drug, some admitted to having ridden in a vehicle driven by someone under the influence and going to class drunk or high. There is a growing belief that marijuana isn’t that bad for you and it is affecting today’s youth and their decision making process.